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You are here: Home / 2020 / Archives for April 2020

Archives for April 2020

Reasons We Decided to Homeschool

April 27, 2020 by Lisa Violo Leave a Comment

Happy Homeskool - Lisa and Mara at the playground

A common question we receive is “Why did you decide to homeschool?” There are dozens of reasons we decided to homeschool. Here are the main ones that led to our decision:

  • Spending more time together – we spend a lot more time together, which is great!  We also drive each other crazy sometimes, but overall it’s made us even closer. Time flies and Mara will only be this age once. We want to soak in as much time together as we can!
Happy Homeskool - Mara and Ken making pasta dough
Mara and Ken making pasta dough

  • Less bullying and peer pressure – Mara was in grade 2 during her last year of school so bullying hadn’t begun yet, but we knew it was coming.  Homeschooling is a healthy environment where your child’s self-worth is reinforced instead of destroyed by schoolyard bullies. We also avoid peer pressure such as when a schoolmate gets a cell phone at a young age.

  • Customized curriculum – we choose subjects that interest us because we aren’t forced to follow a specific curriculum. We also go on more field trips for hands-on learning, such the Toronto Film Festival, Ontario Science Centre, Royal Ontario Museum, planetariums and more!
Happy Homeskool - Mara at the Mapparium in Boston
Mara at the Mapparium in Boston

  • Fewer hassles – we don’t have to get up early, follow an exact schedule, commute to school every day or track permission slips.  Also, we avoid school gossip and unhealthy child comparisons made by peers and parents at school.

  • Shorter days – since there are fewer learners, we have shorter school days because subjects move quickly. We only homeschool for about 2 to 3 hours per day. This allows for more family time and playtime for your children.

  • Less running around on evenings and weekends – we moved many of Mara’s extra-curricular activities to the daytime, such as swimming lessons, music lessons, robotics and more.  Also, there isn’t any homework, which frees up even more family time.

There are many great reasons to homeschool. To read more about the benefits of homeschooling, check out this link: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-benefits-homeschooling-you-need-know.html

Quote of the Day:

There is no school equal to a decent home and no teacher equal to a virtuous parent.”

  ― Gandhi, Lawyer and Activist

Happy Homeskooling!

Lisa & Mara

Filed Under: Homeschool Benefits Tagged With: benefitsofhomeschooling, benefitstohomeschool, reasonstohomeschool, reasonswedecidedtohomeschool, whyhomeschool

Homeschooling and Socialization

April 20, 2020 by Lisa Violo Leave a Comment

Happy Homeschool - Homeschooling and Socialization

The most common concern I receive about our decision to homeschool is “How is Mara socialized?” As annoying as this question may be, I would have asked something similar before we started researching the benefits of homeschooling. Homeschooling and socialization is a topic that’s frequently discussed.

I could quote study after study demonstrating that homeschooled children are often better socialized than children in school. Instead, let’s start by discussing the two main definitions of socialization:

  1. The activity of mixing socially with others.
  2. The process of learning to behave in a way that is acceptable to society.

Let’s start with the first definition, “the activity of mixing socially with others”. A homeschooler interacts with their parents, siblings, extended family, friends of the family and their children, neighbours, fellow homeschoolers, clergy members, community members and others. Most homeschooled children mix socially as much as children registered in school.

Happy Homeskool - Mara and friends on a hike
Mara and friends on a hike

As for the second definition, “the process of learning to behave in a way that is acceptable to society”, I would argue that homeschoolers are better socialized in this manner than children attending school. Children at school are surrounded by peers of their own age that may be bullies or may not share your family’s values.

When I attended public school, many kids engaged in bullying behaviour, swore, had temper tantrums when they didn’t get their way and much more. By high school, many kids smoked, consumed drugs, vandalized buildings and more. Nowadays, you can add the issues of addiction to devices, video games and social media to this list as well.

Some peers are positive role models, but if you think back, you probably remember the bullies. When children are at school, they’re exposed to these negative behaviours. At home, you can build up their self-worth. You can model kindness, generosity and love.

Happy Homeskool Blog - Mara having lunch with her Great Grandmother
Mara having lunch with her Great Grandmother

Furthermore, what does “acceptable to society” actually mean? We want our children to be kind, but what about social activism? What if you teach your child to: march in the streets to support climate change efforts, fight against an unfair law, stand up for a marginalized community, question their boss when he or she does something unethical, question religious doctrine if it doesn’t feel right, or to accept themselves and come out as gay or trans? I ask you; are these behaviours “acceptable to society”?

Behaving in a socially acceptable manner isn’t always the right thing to do, often it’s just what’s comfortable. Through homeschooling, we are socializing Mara not to accept the world for what it is, but to imagine and stand up for what it could be. We teach her to create her own path instead of following in society’s footsteps. If this means that Mara isn’t properly socialized, then so be it – we’re anti-social and proud!

Happy Homeskool - Mara at basketball practice
Mara at basketball practice

If you’d like to learn more about homeschooling and socialization, check out the studies at this link:
https://ontariohomeschool.org/about-homeschooling/socialization/

Quote of the Day:

The idea that children need to be around many other youngsters in order to be “socialized” is perhaps the most dangerous and extravagant myth in education and child rearing today.”

  ― Dr. Raymond Moore – Educator, Researcher and Homeschool Advocate

Happy Homeskooling!

Lisa & Mara

Filed Under: Homeschool Facts Tagged With: homeschoolandsocialisation, homeschoolingandsocialization, homeschoolsocialisation, homeschoolsocialization, socializationofhomeschoolers

Free Homeschool Resources Online

April 13, 2020 by Lisa Violo Leave a Comment

Happy Homeskool - Blog - Free Online Homeschool Resources

Whether you homeschool all the time or just during COVID-19, it’s always handy to have a list of free homeschool resources at your fingertips! Here is a list of some of the free homeschool resources that we’ve discovered over the past few months:

General Learning Resources

  • Harry Potter At Home
  • The Canadian Homeschooler
  • We are all Teachers Now

Math Resources

  • Prodigy Math
  • Corbett Math
  • Transum.org

Language Resources

  • ABCya.com
  • IXL
  • Dance Mat Typing
  • Duolingo

Science Resources

  • Ripleys Believe It or Not
  • Ripley’s Aquarium
  • National Geographic for Kids
  • Free Virtual Tours of Parks

Art and Cooking

  • Artebula App
  • Library of Congress – Dav Pilkey Drawing Videos
  • Lunch Doodles with Mo Williams – Drawing Class With Famous Author
  • Live Cooking Classes

Music

  • Fender – Free Guitar Lessons
  • Piano Nanny

Let your children explore some of these websites to see what interests them.  Always try to involve your kids in their learning process as they will be more engaged. These sites are also an educational way to give “screen time”.

We hope you and your kiddos find these sites educational and fun! If you would like to see more homeschool resources, both free and paid, visit our Resources page here.  

Quote of the Day:

Too often we give children answers instead of problems to solve.”

  ― Roger Lewin, Prize-winning Science Writer and Author

Happy Homeskooling!

Lisa & Mara

Filed Under: Homeschool Resources Tagged With: freehomeschoolresources, freehomeschoolresourcesonline, freeonlinelearningresources, homeschoolresources, onlinehomreschoolresources

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